Paddles for canoes and the like



June 11, 1963 J. K. SMITH 3,092,855

PADDLES FOR CANOES AND THE LIKE Filed Sept. 29, 19595 INVENTOR JOHN K. SMITH United States Patent 3,092,355 PADDLES FOR CAN OES AND THE LIKE John K. Smith, 2210v Marion St., Columbia 2, S.. Filed Sept. 29, 1959, Ser. No. 843,260 4 Claims. (Ci. 924) This invention relates to paddles for canoes and the like and is a continuation-in-part of my co-pending application Serial Number 695,60 1 filed November 12, 1957, now US. Patent 2,913,727. In that application a disclosure was made pertaining to an entirely new type of two bladed paddle characterized by the fact that spaced apart in the longitudinal plane of the paddle stern was a pair of transversely rotatable hand grips. This instant invention relates more particularly to a device that is an improvement thereover by the fact that it is attachable to an existing well known two bladed paddle thereby converting such paddle into the more efi'icient paddle type disclosed in the above noted co-pending application. Such is the primary object of this improvement.

Another object is to provide an improved positioning means and also an improved antifriction means.

The use of this invention or the invention disclosed in the parent application will also result in two bladed paddles being constructed much shorter in length and therefore more easily manipulatable.

The advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description in which:

FIGURE 1 shows the overall appearance of a conventional type two-bladed paddle with my improved invention attached.

FIGURE 2 is a side view of the paddle of FIGURE 1 lying flat.

FIGURE 3 is an end view of the entire paddle taken along line 33 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a detailed exploded study of the hand grip feature of my invention clearly showing the stem attaching means.

FIGURE 5 is a view of a paddle stem section with my assembled device attached thereto.

FIGURE 6 is a partial section view taken along line 66 of FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 6A is a magnified view of the indicated corresponding circled area of FIGURE 6 showing alternative structure.

FIGURE 7 is a second embodiment of my invention.

FIGURE 8 is a flat view of the embodiment disclosed in FIGURE 7.

FIGURE 9 is a third embodiment of my invention.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like and corresponding parts throughout the several views, the overall illustrative embodiment shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 comprises a paddle having two blades 1 and the usual connecting stem 2. Spaced apart longitudinally on steam 2 and between the blades 1 is found the detachable circular, and transversely rotatable hand grip means, designated generally at 3 in FIGURE 1, which is the heart of my invention. It will be noted that the device 3 is applied to existing old style paddles by an attaching post shown at 4 which allows a bolt 13 to pass therethrough and also through stem 2.

FIGURE 3 shows the position the device could take relative to the plane of the blades so as to effect the proper angle when the blades enter the water on the paddling stroke.

Referring now to FIGURE 4, which is an exploded view of my invention and wherein the operator places his hands, there is found an outer circular housing member 5 which is fixed relative to the stem 2 by virtue of the posts 4 and bolts 13. Adjacent member 5 is found a second circular member 6 concentric with and rotatable 3-,@Z,855 Patented June 11, 1953 inside member 5. This member 6 houses the hand grips per se 7 and has a flange 8 which acts as a guide and retainer. Corresponding to flange 8 and attachable to member 6 by screws 9 through holes 9A is a third member 10 which acts as a retainer for member 6 as member 6 and thereby member 10, is rotated inside member 5.

FIGURE 4 clearly shows the arrangement of the posts 4 through which bolts 13 pass and by which my device 3 is attached to existing paddle stems 2 by the form fitting stem engaging surfaces 4A of posts 4.

FIGURE 5 shows the device assembled and attached to a stem 2 by bolts 13 through posts 4.

FIGURE 6 is a partial section taken along line 66 of FIGURE 5 and shows the relation of the assembled parts.

To facilitate mutual rotation of the afiixed members 6 and 10 relative to member 5 the outer periphery of member 6 is reduced at 6A and the inner periphery of member 5 is reduced at 5A (see FIGURES 4 and 6) sufficient to provide a surface for positioning balls 11 (see FIGURES 6 and 6A) which serve to position member 6 and thereby the hand grips 7 in the plane of the stem 2 as the balls 11 mate with the proper recesses 12. The balls 11 are forced into the selected recess 12 by the pressure of spring 14 which itself is retained by screw 15 which also is used to increase the pressure on balls 11 thereby resisting loose rotation of the members 6 and It in member 5. It is contemplated that balls 11 are contained in member 6 and cannot move except to drop in and out of recesses 12 and, upon a rotational force being applied to member 6, be forced against the resistance of spring 14 back into its retaining channel allowing a free rotation of the grips.

As a further aid to rotation it will be noted in FIGURE 6 that rotation between members 5 and 10 is facilitated by anti-friction balls 11A which travel in a peripheral groove 12A which provides a track for balls 11A. The balls 11A are contained in a boring in member 10 and held in engagement with recess 12A by the pressure of springs 14A which pressure is adjustably effected by screw 15A. As an alternate, the recess 12A may be omitted entirely thereby allowing balls 11A to bear against the flat surface of member 5.

FIGURE 6A shows simplified structure for providing the positioning means and the anti-friction means. It can be seen that member It} is fixed to member 6 by screws 9. It can be seen that member 6 does not have the reduced portion disclosed at 6A in FIGURES 4 and 6. Instead member 5 is smoothbore and the outer periphery of member 6 corresponds thereto. As an aid to rotation balls 11A are provided within radial bores in member 5. Balls 11A are forced against the outer periphery of member 6 by springs 14A which, in turn, are retained in the here by screws 15A. As a positioning means, ball 11 is forced into recess 12 by the pressure of screw 15 applied to spring 14.

FIGURE 7 shows a second embodiment of my invention which consists of a stem type hand grip 16 being positioned on member 17, which member 17 is spaced longitudinally on stem 2 and perpendicular thereto.

FIGURE 8 shows a top view of the same embodiment of FIGURE 7. It can be clearly seen that the hand grips 16 are rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the posts 17, which posts 17 are perpendicular to the paddle stern.

FIGURE 9 is a third embodiment of my invention and in which the device 3 is placed in a stem 18 that has offset sections 19 so as to house the device 3 in the plane of the stem 18. The device 3 is fixed to section 19 by any suitable method, such as welding.

It is to be understood that the species of FIGURES 7 3 and 8 may also be attached to the stem in a plane as shown in FIGURE 3 as Well as the plane co-incidcnt with the paddle blades. This applies equally to the species of FIGURE 9.

Having thus disclosed and described my invention; I claim:

1. An operating means for attaching to paddles for canoes and the like, wherein said paddles have two blades and a connecting stem therebet-ween, said operating means comprising a rotatable handle whose axis of rotation is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said stem, said operating means comprising mounting post means adapted to be spaceably attachable longitudinally on said stem to allow proper re-positioning of the respective hand Without the removal of said hand from said handle.

2 Longitudinally spaced operating means as in claim 1 wherein said operating means comprises a stationary first circular member having said mounting post means spaced expediently about the outer periphery thereof for attaching said first circular member to the outer periphery of said stem in an oil-set relation, a second circular rotatable member, a third circular rotatable member removably attached to said second circular member and providing mutual rotation therefor within said first circular member, anti-friction means co-actingly spaced between said first circular member and said third circular member, positioning means spaced to co-act between said first circular member and said second circular member for releasably maintaining said first circular member and said second circular member in a selected angular relation, said second circular rotatable member housingtsaid handle.

3. Longitudinally spaced operating means as in claim 1 wherein said operating means comprises a stationary first circular member having said mounting post means spaced expediently about the outer periphery thereof for attaching said first circular member to the outer periphery of said stem in an off-set relation, a second circular rotatable member, a third circular rotatable member removably attached to said second circular member and providing mutual rotation therefor within said first circular mem- 'ber, anti-friction means co-actingly spaced between said first circular member and said second circular member, positioning means spaced to co-act between said first circular member and said second circular member for releasably maintaining said first circular member and said second circular member in a selected angular relation, said second circular rotatable member housing said handle.

4. An operating means as in claim 1 wherein said mounting post means comprises a single member, said single member supporting said handle, said member being perpendicularly positioned with respect to the longitudinal axis of said stem.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 540,579 Davis June 4, 1895 2,153,939 Schaupp Apr. 11, 1939 2,343,726 Witt Mar. 7, 1944 2,913,727 Smith Nov. 17, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 103,809 Switzerland Mar. 1, 1924 OTHER REFERENCES Motor Boat Magazine, January 1951, page 46. 

1. AN OPERATING MEANS FOR ATTACHING TO PADDLES FOR CANOES AND THE LIKE, WHEREIN SAID PADDLES HAVE TWO BLADES AND A CONNECTING STEM THEREBETWEEN, SAID OPERATING MEANS COMPRISING A ROTATABLE HANDLE WHOSE AXIS OF ROTATION IS PERPENDICULAR TO THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID STEM, SAID OPERATING MEANS COMPRISING MOUNTING POST MEANS ADAPTED TO BE SPACEABLY ATTACHABLE LONGITUDINALLY ON SAID STEM TO ALLOW PROPER RE-POSITIONING OF THE RESPECTIVE HAND WITHOUT THE REMOVAL OF SAID HAND FROM SAID HANDLE. 